Heritage Auctions comics sale led by Todd McFarlane and Marvel Silver Age

The highly anticipated Heritage Auctions' comic book sale has set the collecting world alight, achieving a new world record for Todd McFarlane's Amazing Spider-Man cover art in the process.

McFarlane's world record breaking art saw him propelled to stardom

The July 26-28 auction saw the 1990 cover which McFarlane created for Marvel Comics' Amazing Spider-Man sell as top lot, setting a new world record for American comic art at auction of $657,250. Also featuring was McFarlane's 1990 Spider-Man #1 cover art, which sold for $358,500, and his famed Venom cover for issue #317 of the same series, which brought $143,400.

It was McFarlane's art for this series that saw him propelled to the forefront of the comics industry and prompted him to create his own company, Image Comics, with his original Spawn series as the flagship publication.

All of the original Todd McFarlane art was consigned from the Shamus Modern Masterworks Collection of Long Island comic shop owner Martin Shamus. Also featuring was the renowned collection of Pedigree Comics boss Doug Schmell, whose Marvel Silver Age selection is undoubtedly among the finest in the world.

The top lot from the Schmell collection was his inaugural issue of X-Men, which currently stands as the finest known copy, graded at NM/MT 9.8. With the cover and interior drawn by legendary Marvel artist Jack Kirby, it sold for $492,937.

The finest graded copy of The Avengers #1 followed, selling at $274,850. With the original line-up composed of Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Wasp and The Hulk, the debut issue was the first time the characters had appeared in the same issue, and marked the beginning of a multi-million dollar franchise for Marvel. At NM+ 9.6, it brought $274,850.